| 05.14.99 |
This was my VJMC post #
1: Title: I'm
bumming hard, dudes.
Text: Just when I was all set to
go to the VJMC NE cookout tomorrow, just as I installed fresh spark plugs and cleaned the
points, I discovered why several days ago the bike had a hard time starting.
It appears that one of the coils has died. The bike started up and ran on one cyl. The
left pipe remained cold. I pulled the plugs, checked each side by manually operating the
points. Nice spark on right, no spark on left. Ran to the garage to rummage - I thought I
had a spare coil. No dice; someone must have cleaned up a bit.
So now I am bumming hard, dudes. I really wanted to go on my CP77 tomorrow. Looks like I
will be reduced to caging it. Unless someone has a spare bike I can borrow, or a spare
coil to fit a CB/CL 72/77 that I can pick up in the early AM.
I am going back to the garage and will put in whatever it takes to perhaps find another
cause for this lack of spark on the left, but, to
be honest, all connections are fine and the harness is in excellent shape, the spark plug
wires and caps are less that a year old.
I'll check the email later tonight to see if anyone can offer a possible solution. Thank
you.
And this was my VJMC post # 2:
Title: Coilus Interruptus
...or the boy who cried
"coil!"
Went back to the garage, reconnected the suspect coil, retested by opening the
points, thought I heard a spark. Weak and intermittent. Played around some more, thought I
noticed some spark clicking at the coil area. Removed both coils. Emery cloth: all
contacts, including the ground strap to the condenser bracket. Contact cleaner. Varnished.
Reassembled swapping coils left for right, right for left. Bullets and spark plug wires
dielectric silicone grease. Test: manually open points, first left then right. Nice big
spark on both ends. Amen.
The killer turned out to be the fuel tank crossover line. The clear fuel line brittled up
and I just could not get the dang thing back on, all the while mopping up the gasoline at
three in the AM. Finally I remembered the magical vacuum plug kit from JCW. Found it and
found the correct caps and then some larger caps to go around the first ones, just in
case. Hope the gas will not dissolve the plastic - I'll never forget that gallon milk jug
full of gas, for about an hour...
After all that, could not find the audacity to start the bike up this late at night.
Neighbors. Morning will tell. Must get sleep. |